The present invention relates in general to a word information storage and retrieval device and, more particularly, to an electronic dictionary and language interpreter for providing efficient and rapid retrieval of any desired word or words stored therein.
Recently, a new type of electronic device called an electronic dictionary and language interpreter has been available on the market. The electronic dictionary and language interpreter differs from conventional types of electronic devices in that the former is of a unique structure which provides for efficient and rapid retrieval of word information stored in a memory. An example of such electronic dictionaries and language interpreter was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,236, June 12, 1979, to Levy entitled "ELECTRONIC DICTIONARY AND LANGUAGE INTERPRETER". In this patent, a means was disclosed which displayed all the words which were stored in a ROM having letters which matched letters entered by the user.
The letters entered were related to a complete word designated by all its letters the user has entered and is sure of or, in addition, a partial word represented by letters he has entered and is sure of and a blank character he entered and is not sure of.
The complete word and the partial word will be displayed and all other words which match the entered letters will then be examined. In connection with the entry of the partial word, however, it will be further desirous that the translation corresponding to a complete specific word relevant to the partial word entered be searched for or examined and then displayed together with the complete specific word.